driftfleet | though it hurts to breathe

Who: Raven, Hank, Charles and Erik
Broadcast: No
Action: On the Heron
When: Now onwards!

[ It had taken her a little while to calm down with Hank at her side, long enough that she's practically itching to make her way over to the Heron as soon as she can, device in her hand - the temptation to text ahead, to make sure they're really there, that they're okay, is almost a little too daunting and there's not much Raven can do other than force herself to stop. She's stronger than this, true, but coming out of the other side of something as horrendous as Apocalypse and standing tall, waking up on the Fleet, trying to figure out if she can handle it all again - it's too much.

The only thoughts in her mind are that she needs to find Charles, she needs to find Erik, and she needs to make sure they're alive, that they're safe, that they're here. This is going to be impossibly difficult for all four of them, Hank at her side, but they could work through it. They beat an all powerful mutant 'God', they came together as a family and they worked, hard, to make sure they all came out alive the other side.

What was the Fleet after all that?

It doesn't take her long to break away from Hank into a practical run as she reaches the Heron, a flash as she makes her way down the hall to find the other two mutants. Erik is important in her mind, of course, but her first instinct is to call out for Charles, standing outside the door and pressing her fingers against it, afraid for a moment that he won't answer, that he won't be there. The fear grips her, and her hands shake, but she does it anyway, knocking and calling for her brother.

After that, later... Well, she has to take time to calm down. Once she's sure Charles is safe, that Erik is safe, she can actually move to relax herself, the weight on her shoulders fading away. It takes time, but it happens, slowly... But she doesn't leave. She doesn't feel like she can leave either of them, and she wonders how they're going to handle that. ]

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[he nods] That's what I mean. I - think it stops, that's what other people say - used to say. [he frowns, rolling his shoulders a little. His memories were still settling together, pieces fitting themselves in order]

Either way . . . things will be fine there while we're here. I'm not too worried.

Charles said the same.

Of course he did. [he isn't surprised]

Where were you when they brought you back here?

[Ah. Of course. Erik hadn't told Hank or Raven where he was going after the mansion; only Charles had known that. He shifts a bit, folding his arms over his chest.]

Poland.

Ah. [he doesn't ask any more than that; he hadn't asked Charles when Erik had left, and now it seems like it isn't his place. So he just nods. Debates for a moment, then:]

I'm sorry you've been dragged back into this.

[Erik ventures nothing further, either. It was a personal trip. It would stay that way.

At Hank's comment, Erik just sighs.] I've no more been dragged away than the rest of you. If anything, you all had more vital things you were doing.

Lesson plans and acceptance letters are pretty vital. [it comes out a little deadpan, but he knows what Erik means] I imagine what you were doing is important, too. It doesn't need to be ranked. It isn't fair to any of us.

[He smiles slightly, but doesn't comment further. Hank is wrong about that.]

Fair isn't a term that really applies here.

Then what term would you use?

Something that captures how... utterly unsurprising this is.

[he considers it before he shrugs and shoots Erik a wry, half-smile] I'm sure there's a couple of words that would fit that description.

[ironic, predictable, fucked up—

He takes a breath, and finally has to ask]

Other than unsurprised, are you alright? We didn't . . . talk much before you left.

[Some resignation seeps into his thoughts as Erik realises he's going to get this question a lot. Right now, it's fine, for this group of people. Anyone else...]

We didn't, but we were busy. [Planning, building, recovering. Their friendship had been lost to time, for a while.] I'm as well as can be expected.

[lost to time, and yet going down to investigate one of the facilities with Erik felt as if it had happened yesterday. Just like bringing him coffee one morning out of the blue felt the same way.

Still, some of the tension in his shoulders ease. It's an answer he expected, yet still had to hear all the same]

Mmm. [the next thing he wants to say seems too - common, and Erik's likely heard it a dozen times already, so instead -]

The offer I made to you years ago, when Raven showed up here? It still stands.

[He has to wrack his mind for it, though at least the answer comes quickly. Somehow, the memories from the Fleet are both present and distant, more akin to regained shards at Kyriakos than a real thought from years ago. He never did make use of that offer, back then.]

I doubt I'll be sparring. [En Sabah Nur's influence is still too visible in the recent past for Erik to be comfortable letting loose at all.] But... all right. I'll keep it in mind.

[he huffs out a noise, weak but faintly amused, and shakes his head]

Replace it with something else, then. But - good. As long as you don't forget.

My memory isn't always the best these days. [It's a joke, but with a kernel of truth to it. He has lapses, sometimes. He can't recall everything he did when he was under En Sabah Nur's power.] But I'm sure you'll remind me if you feel it necessary.

Are you going to make the old jokes for me, too? [because he sees the joke, and he sees there's likely more to it, but he's not letting that one pass by]

Only if it's necessary, right. But I doubt you'll forget.

You've never been good at them.

[He doesn't bother replying to the latter.]

That hurts, Erik.

[his jokes are fine, thank you]

Sorry.

[Not... really.]

Mmhmm.

[no you're not, shut up] I'll keep my terrible jokes to a minimum.

You could just save them for a more appreciative audience. [Which is anyone but Erik.]

Assuming one exists.

Surely you have like-minded friends...

I don't really have— [he cuts himself off with a frown, then faintly shakes his head. No, that wasn't right. He did, here. It wasn't just Charles and the other teachers]

- no, I do. I don't exactly save them, though - they just happen.

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