[He snaps back, at the mention of his other self.]
You have no way of knowing Erik made the right choice, because you never met him. [Whether he did or not, he'll never know. Doesn't particularly want to know, either. He could go further, slap her down to trying to use the other Charles's relationship with Erik against him. For a moment, eyes blazing, he nearly does.
With an effort, he calms himself.]
In the end, it's irrelevant to me. Those men aren't us. You're right - I don't have to understand. Nor do I have to like it.
[Hermione's hand on his shoulder means the memory comes unbidden, unlooked for. A memory of sitting next to Charles on a fawn-coloured couch, the man looking younger and fresher, hair short. A pall of exhaustion hangs over it, through Erik's mind and Charles's expression both. But there's a thread of disbelief as Erik tells him "I went to Sage yesterday, and they had a new person. They told me that Elliot boy left... really left." While Charles brightens and exclaims about it being good news, Erik only feels numb with disbelief. "We can leave," he repeats to himself, fisting his hands against his knees as the staggering weight of it really hits him. They could leave that awful place. It fades out as Charles reaches up to brush tears from his face, murmuring "Take your time."]
no subject
You have no way of knowing Erik made the right choice, because you never met him. [Whether he did or not, he'll never know. Doesn't particularly want to know, either. He could go further, slap her down to trying to use the other Charles's relationship with Erik against him. For a moment, eyes blazing, he nearly does.
With an effort, he calms himself.]
In the end, it's irrelevant to me. Those men aren't us. You're right - I don't have to understand. Nor do I have to like it.
[Hermione's hand on his shoulder means the memory comes unbidden, unlooked for. A memory of sitting next to Charles on a fawn-coloured couch, the man looking younger and fresher, hair short. A pall of exhaustion hangs over it, through Erik's mind and Charles's expression both. But there's a thread of disbelief as Erik tells him "I went to Sage yesterday, and they had a new person. They told me that Elliot boy left... really left." While Charles brightens and exclaims about it being good news, Erik only feels numb with disbelief. "We can leave," he repeats to himself, fisting his hands against his knees as the staggering weight of it really hits him. They could leave that awful place. It fades out as Charles reaches up to brush tears from his face, murmuring "Take your time."]