driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Charles Xavier + You
Broadcast: Video
Action: SS Heron
When: Right now!

[ The video starts with Charles sitting on his wheelchair, his hands neatly folded on his lap. He rubs faint circles on his legs for a few seconds, the only real sign of tension. ]

Hello. My names is Charles Xavier. I am a geneticist graduated from Oxford. I -- [ ran ] -- run a school in Westchester for the Gifted. Mutants. People with abilities. My focus is the training and control of abilities we do not always fully understand, abilities that are gifts but can often run amok.

[ He pauses, catching his second wind before continuing on, poised. ]

I am also a telepath with a full set of abilities in aiding the mind and extremely . . . proficient. I do not read minds without permission, because honestly, I really don't care.

[ Charles pauses again, wondering if he should say more and dismisses it. People can ask him if they need details - which they will. ]

If anyone would like to make use of my abilities and skills, they are certainly most welcome to. Confidentiality, of course, is key and you need not make anything public if you do not wish to. If you have any questions for me, the floor is open for you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Finally.

[even if he was serious Hank wouldn't allow it, ever]

[ He rolls his eyes. ]

It's not like you'd ever leave the school anyway.

Well - no, I wouldn't. I have nowhere else to go anyway.

I'm afraid you're stuck with me.

[ He softens. ]

I'm afraid so.

[he shrugs a shoulder] It's home.

And I've been there this long as it is.

It wasn't a very good one.

It was enough. You know I could've gone back to Washington or Illinois instead.

Why didn't you?

You were going to start up the school. And after it closed . . .

[a huff] I wasn't going to leave you alone.

I left a lot of people alone.

You're making up for that.

[ He nods. ]

It's a slow process.

I know. But what counts is that you're trying. [he makes a gesture] Opening the school, doing things like this - it might seem slow, but you've come a long way already.

[ Does it? Ten years slipped by, like the blink of an eye. Even regaining all that time at Kyriakos had done little to make it feel better. ]

And longer ways to go.

Give yourself some credit. [ten years didn't feel like a blink to him, even as shut away as he was with his own problems. He reaches up to look at Charles over his glasses] A couple of months ago - [a brief frown, because time is strange, but - ] you were telling Logan to fuck off. Today, you're offering to help people with their powers.

You've come a long way. Don't argue this with me.