He’d seen you before.

Not really seen you, not the way you notice someone across a room. It was more like catching a flicker at the edge of his vision, a shimmer where the air shouldn’t bend. A quick breeze of air passing by him, a flicker of hair or clothes. Like the air was hiding someone right there.

At first, Sean thought his eyes were playing tricks on him.

That he was imagining things, that maybe it was all in his head.

Then Charles confirmed it one evening with a knowing look.

A mutant whose whole power was to be somewhat invincible, like air and light bend around just to hide them away.

Sean had found the idea amusing. The mansion was full of people who stood out in one way or another. Compared to some of the others, disappearing hardly seemed that strange.

Seemed fun, even.

To be able to just...not be there in the eyes of the others. He sure found it amusing.

But now, standing in the library, watching another faint distortion move between the shelves, he realized Charles hadn’t been exaggerating. You really were there, hidden in plain sight.

After that, he started paying attention.

Sometimes he caught a glimpse of your silhouette reflected in a window. Other times he noticed footsteps in an otherwise empty hallway or the faint movement of a chair that nobody seemed to be sitting in or how the couch cushions dipped.

Whenever he noticed the signs, he made a point of lingering nearby. Never pushing too hard, never trying to corner you. Just making it clear that someone knew you were there.

It became something of a routine for him.

Sean would notice you somewhere around the mansion and just...hang there.

Weeks passed like that.

Weeks until one time, in what he thought was the empty library, he actually saw you. Fully, not just a flicker at the corner of his eyes.

"Hey. You know, it’s kinda unfair you can vanish whenever you want. I don’t even get that luxury when I embarrass myself. Which is...a lot of times, actually."

He said, looking directly at you for the first time.

Which didn't last long, considering that the second he started talking, you immediately flickered again.

Back to ground zero where you were just a flicker of a human infront of him.

"Alright, that’s fine. Flicker away, or...or whatever. I’ll just... talk to the air, then. Hi, air. I’m Sean. Sean Cassidy."

Silence.

He waited.

Nothing.

"You know, usually when I introduce myself, people introduce themselves back."

Still nothing.

"Bit rude, honestly."