((this was requested a long time ago and i just got inspiration sorry))

Everyone is born with their own superpower, which comes around before they turn 18. The more powerful the person, the harder it is to learn to control it.

Ethan's power appeared the day before his 18th birthday, and he knew it as soon as he collided with his friend G in the hallways at school. His friend's voice floated through the other boy's head.

'Ah dang, I still don't have Ethan's birthday present'

"Maybe you should get that soon, Gerald." Ethan smirked at his friend.

"Mind reader?"

It had been over 2 years since Ethan found his power, and at first it was cool, but then it started getting annoying. After learning about it, people would avoid contact with him, for fear of him reading their thoughts. He hated even leaving his apartment to go into the city, because whenever he seemed even brushed someone's arm in the streets, their thoughts would invade his mind.

He tried to wear thick jackets and long pants whenever he could, hoping that the layers of material between them would keep out the thoughts. It didn't work.

That's why Ethan like making YouTube videos, he didn't have to actually interact with someone physicially. He could talk to a camera, edit, and upload it all by himself, no possibility of physical contact. And of course answering fan questions and such were all online. It was perfect.

Until Y/N came into his life.

He met her at a house party, his first in LA. He had been invited as a plus one from a friend of a friend of a friend, and was not excited. A bunch of people crammed into a small area was his worst nightmare. As soon as Ethan walked in he regretted it, but was pushed in and shoved around. The voices swarmed in, some drunk thoughts, gossip, nothing interesting. Until someone grabbed his arm, and he heard their voice the clearest.

'I should get him out of here, he looks overwhelmed' she thought, gently guiding him away from the masses.

"Thank you," he mumbled as soon as the girl had brought him to a empty corner of the balcony, taking his arm back from her. He didn't want to invade her mind again, it made him feel guilty.

"You're welcome." She smiled, and he never wanted to see that smile go away.

The girl held out a hand for him to shake, and he braced himself as he accepted it. "I'm Y/N," her voice said as her thoughts said 'oh he's cute.'

Ethan felt himself blush as he replied with his own name then quickly let go of her hand. Y/N looked at him strangely, but didn't comment on it, instead sitting at the edge of the pool, gestured for him to sit beside her. He kept his distance, hugging his clothed knees to his chest as she dangled her toes into the water.

"So, why did you come?" She asked, kicking her feet slowly.

"What do you mean?" Ethan cocked his head at the beautiful girl, in awe at why she was interested in him.

"At the party, you don't seem to enjoy crowds." Y/N twisted her fingers and hands, and with them, the water started dancing. So that was her superpower, water manipulation.

"I just moved to LA, figured I'd make some friends."

"Not in this shithole."

"Oh?"

"Trust me, this is not the place to find friends. Maybe a slutty one night stand and some bros that drink too hard. But not a friend."

"So which one are you?" Ethan asked, and she looked at him with an amused smile.

"Oh, I'm just here."

"Just here?"

"I only came because I heard there was a pool." She shrugged, continuing to play with the water. "I quite like the water. Ever since I was a kid, probably why I ended up with this power. How about you?"

Ethan shook his head, not wanting to scare off this kind and curious girl. He wanted to get to know her better.

"Fair enough." Y/N said, and twisted her fingers, sending a few drops splashing onto Ethan's face.

"Hey!" He wiped off his face, but couldn't stop his smile from showing.

"I love that smile!"

At the end of the night, Ethan realized he had to go back through the crowd to get to his car. He was standing at the edge of it, hands stuffed in his pockets and mentally preparing himself for the thoughts.

Y/N suddenly appeared at his side. "Come on, I'll walk you out." His new companion offered, linking her arm with his.

Ethan would've wrenched his arm back, but her lovely voice in his mind relaxed him. She had some random thoughts, but they mostly were centered around his well-being. Ethan's blush deepened every time she thought of him, she only had nice things to think.

'I hope I see him again.'

Ethan wanted to see her again too.

'He really is cute.'

Ethan smiled to himself.

'Oh my god he keeps looking at me with those eyes.'

Ethan tried to avert his eyes from her, but he still wanted to look at her. She blushed.

'I hope he doesn't think I'm weird for doing this.'

Ethan loved Y/N so much for doing this. He didn't even hear anyone else's thoughts.

At the door, for once, he was reluctant to end the physical contact. Y/N running thoughts were so... beautiful. Just like her.

"Hey, uhm," he cleared his throat, remembering that she wanted to see him again. "Could I get your number? So we could hang out again sometime."

She smiled brightly at his words, and a huge weight was lifted off of him. "Of course!"

After that party, he found himself falling more in love with this beautiful girl. The more he fell in love, the more he wanted to touch her, but he felt even more guilty every time he invaded her mind.

"Hey Ethan," She said one time while they were at the beach, manipulating the water to create beautiful scenes. "I haven't asked you yet. What's your power?"

His breath hitched in his throat, and Y/N could immediately tell that she had said something wrong. "I'm so sorry, you don't have to tell me. God, I'm so stupid I'm sorry-"

Ethan cute her off, shaking his head and placing a hand on her arm. He realized what he'd done when her thoughts were echoing in his mind. And they were all about him.

'He doesn't know what this does to me.'

Ethan did know.

'I can't tell him.'

He wanted her to.

'Those eyes, his face. I just want to kiss him.'

So did Ethan.

And before he could register what he was doing, his lips were on yours and you were reciprocating the kiss. His rapid heartbeat nearly drowned out your thoughts that were ricocheting around his head.

'ohmygod is this really happening'

Yes. It is.

'I hope he doesn't think I'm a bad kisser.'

Ethan never wanted this kiss to end, it was so perfect.

'I've been wanting this for so long.'

So did Ethan.

'ohmygod I need to breathe.'

Ethan contained his chuckles and pulled back from you to let you catch your breath.

"Wow." Y/N laughed airily, covering her face with her hands. "Wow."

"I've been wanting that for so long." Ethan laughed, not realizing that he had repeated Y/N's exact thoughts until she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Me too." She said, reaching over to hold his hand gingerly.

He let her, entwining his fingers with hers. It felt so natural. Ethan expected to hear her thoughts, but he didn't expect what they would be. A single, uniform question. 'Can you read my mind?'

Ethan looked over at her, expecting her thoughts to start racing again, but she managed to keep it on that one.

He slowly nodded, and expected her to be repulsed. Repulsed that he had been reading her mind this whole time and never told her. But instead, she broke out into a huge grin and tackled him in a hug. He fell back into the sand, confused.

"That's so cool!" She squealed out loud, but at the same time she was thinking, 'I want to kiss him again. Oh wait you heard that. Kiss me, you idiot.'

And he did.