though it hurts to breathe

[athru]

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. ]

Comments

[axiomed]

My appreciation for your memory only seems to grow, old friend.

[ He swallows those last words, but he takes the packet with a proper smile. ]

I'll try not to drop them.

[exothermia]

[To his credit, it doesn't seem to phase Erik. It reminds him more of how things were a few weeks ago, when things were simpler at the mansion.]

I take pride in remembering pointless things. [Other memories can be more ephemeral. He'd already joked as much to Hank earlier.] As long as they don't hit the floor, I doubt it matters.

[axiomed]

[ Charles frowns. ]

It's the principle of the thing. Good manners belong to the table, after all.

[ He takes his time pulling them out. At least Charles feels less self-conscious about his movement. ]

[exothermia]

[Erik seats himself again, returning to his own meal.]

If you say so.

[axiomed]

[ He takes a tentative bite. ]

Don't be gauche, Erik.

[exothermia]

I've seen how your students behave at dinner. I thought it was optional.

[It's safer ground, the school. They had understood each other there.]

[axiomed]

There are limits of what I can accomplish with teenagers.

[exothermia]

Maybe you should implement a finishing class.

[He stabs another slice of protein, eating it. It's as bland as can be. At least it's substance.]

[axiomed]

Who would even teach that?

[ He grins as he manages a successful bite. ]

[exothermia]

Hank.

[axiomed]

Hank, I'm afraid, has too many projects on his hands right now.

[ Weapons. Upgrades. Charles gave him full rein. ]

[exothermia]

[It had been a joke. He's aware of Hank's projects; had helped him build the new Sentinels, for starters.]

I suppose you'll need to find a Mary Poppins to hire instead.

[axiomed]

I'll check the phone book.