Heron May mingle

[grandstanding]

Who: Heron crew and visitors
Broadcast: nope
Action: the Heron
When: all May!

[Birds of a feather mingle together.]

Comments

[axiomed]

[ He feels Erik before he hears the door, doing another quick scrub of his face.

Erik . . . looked tired. All thoughts of himself fled Charles' mind. ]

Erik?

[grandstanding]

[It would be obvious even to the most unobservant person that Charles has been crying. No amount of composure can hide that. It pulls Erik up short as he enters the room, snuffs his irritation briefly.]

--what's wrong?

[axiomed]

I asked first.

[ Then he realized how childish that sounded, he ducked his head a little. ]

Nothing. I mean, I sort of . . . got angry at Raven. Erik, I -- I need to tell you something.

[grandstanding]

You didn't. [The retort is immature too, though at least he manages not to be waspish about it. At the mention of Raven, he frowns. What goes on between Raven and Charles isn't something he wants to intrude on in most cases. They had any number of past grievances that could cause a fight. Charles and Erik had had plenty themselves.

Erik closes the door behind him.] If this is about MacTaggart, Hank already told me she was here.

[axiomed]

No, not -- Well, yes about Moira. But not really about her.

[ He winces, listening to himself ramble. He drops his hands on his lap. ]

I took her memories. She shouldn't -- I made her forget everything about us.

[grandstanding]

Yes, he told me that as well.

[axiomed]

[ Quietly. ]

She didn't know. I didn't tell her and she didn't consent to it.

[grandstanding]

[He can tell this is a struggle for Charles, but for himself, he can't bring himself to care overmuch about that woman's fate.]

She was a liability, knowing where you lived. I take it that's why you did it. [It would be the practical thing to do, from Erik's point of view.]

[axiomed]

[ Charles stares at him before realizing that's really like Erik, to bring it to such simple ends. Then in a hoarse voice. ]

No.

I did do it along those lines. That was my reasoning. But I also thought it would be . . . easier if I made her walk away. So I wouldn't have to see her walk away later.

[grandstanding]

[Folding his arms, he shifts his weight from one foot to another. It isn't a pleasant thing to do to a person. It's downright brutal in some respects. And that's what Charles is clearly trying to tell him, that he had taken away Moira's choice and how repellent that was. He knew why. Charles's struggles with not thinking himself a monster in the library were etched on his heart.

His losses, too, had made their marks deep.

Erik runs a hand through his hair, biting back a dismissive remark. If this is important to Charles, he needs to take it seriously too.]

You thought that then, but now you don't.

[axiomed]

[ That's true. Why was he panicking? Erik knew that. Erik knew him better than anyone else here.

I'm waiting for your noble act to fall.

That was why. Coupled with his tenuous step by step process of trying to reconnect with Raven, too much was happening and it all caught up with him in a dangerous blur of emotions.

Well, enough of that.

Eventually he lets the tension loose, pulling at Erik's arm and saying very emphatically. ]

I'm going to kiss you now.

[grandstanding]

Is that how you always end difficult conversations?

[He steps over and bends down regardless. Charles gets what he wants.]

[axiomed]

[ He tugs on Erik's collar, kissing him fiercely because he knew that Erik didn't care about Moira, not after what happened and Erik was still here, solid and real and yes, maybe he'll have to go, but they had this, they'll always have this. ]

[grandstanding]

[The kiss burns some of his irritation and dour mood out of him, like sun driving shadows away. It was ultimately not important. Neither was MacTaggart. This was.]

[axiomed]

[ Good, because Charles is going to keep at it, his feelings warm and bright and all over the place, a jumbled mix of fear and sadness slowly leaking away and being replaced by the steady drum beat of Charles' regard for Erik. ]

[grandstanding]

[He breaks it for a moment, muttering against his cheek.] I take it you're feeling better.

[axiomed]

A little.

[ He softens. ]

It's been a tough week. I'm sorry. I've put a lot of pressure on you.

[grandstanding]

Keeping me on my toes. [He shakes his head, straightening up.] You haven't been. It's just... this place. [They can both feel it, in their own ways.]

[axiomed]

[ Charles nods. They're reliving things here, things they had forgotten while tackling on the new.

But Charles feels . . . he has healed a little by stepping forward. ]

You'll tell me if you need . . . [ Anything, everything. ]

[grandstanding]

Yes, I'll tell you.

[He even means it.]

[axiomed]

[ Charles smiles, brushing his fingers against Erik's cheek and kisses him again. ]