driftfleet | Iskaulit Mingle

[When Erik finds the bracelet in his room, it knocks the wind out of him. There's a long stretch of time when he does nothing at all, just holds it and feels the prickle under his skin of loss and confused emotions warring for dominance.

But he doesn't stay that way.

A few hours later, he sends Charles a message: Meet me in the library. They haven't crossed paths yet today, so he made his preparations before sending the message.

He's waiting in the library now, a table in the corner corralled for their use, and a tray of items sitting there.]

[ Charles fidgets with his bracelet. He has a suspicion why Erik called him and a part of him wants to ignore it. People leaving is a part of life. It happens. It's a familiar, faithful mantra.

Still. Erik would be hurting. Wanda had a tenuous connection to him, a difficult one that was hard to interpret. ]

Erik?

[He had felt the man's wheelchair coming, so Erik's at ease when Charles arrives. He smiles briefly, and gestures to the tray.]

Afternoon tea, or an approximation of it.

[True enough, there are fresh scones there, and two mugs of tea.]

[ He smiles faintly. ]

How thoughtful.

[ A pause, before he quietly asks. ] Are you all right?

No.

[He shrugs.]

But if you have to ask, I assume you know why.

I found mine in my room.

[ He holds it up. ]

[Erik looks at the bracelet Charles is holding, his eyebrows going up slightly.]

I hadn't realised she'd made you one as well.

[ That stings a little, but Charles shrugs as he reaches for the tea cup. ]

She liked getting us matching presents.

Edited 2017-04-04 11:07 (UTC)

[He remembers the joint chess board, and the cookies. Coming to them late as he did, he hadn't made the connection. Letting out a breath, he draws his own bracelet out of his pocket and brushes his thumb over it.]

It's sweet of her.

[ He nods. Wanda had always been considerate. Her memories brush up against his thoughts. Wrath was gone and now Wanda. Two people who had opened his mind to him fully, shared their histories, their feelings, their lives. ]

She's always been that way. Even when she struggled.

[Erik sips at his tea, considering that. It's not a side of Wanda he had seen all that much of. Their relationship had been... strange. Their last conversation over text had happened while Erik was frustrated. Nothing to be done about it now.]

You were close.

[ He glances at Erik before nodding slowly. ]

We shared memories. When she forgot — [ He exhales, his breath ghosting over the rim of the cup. ] — it was a blow.

Edited 2017-04-04 11:25 (UTC)

I remember.

[He remembers how relieved Charles had been to know Wanda's memory came back. On that level - the mental - the pair had something that Erik knew he couldn't fathom. It was something unique to telepaths.]

[ He smiles faintly. ]

She was a good student. Hopefully she'll remember her lessons.

And apply them.

[He picks up a scone, and works at buttering it.]

Her brother is gone too.

[ Good news or bad news? Charles knew the loss would have been felt strongly had either of them remained behind. ]

His future seems more uncertain.

[Erik says nothing to that for a while. He knew, from his talk with Charles years ago, that Pietro Maximoff had died. To speculate about what would happen to the man now was an exercise in futility. Erik hadn't gotten to know Pietro as well as Wanda, so there's a strange absence to the knowledge that he's gone. A lack of knowing how to feel about it.]

It is what it is.

[They're empty words. He can't suggest they went home together. That's beyond his ability to know.]

[ There's a strain of hatred, of anger towards this place, the Atroma and the trappings that hover above their heads. But it's an old feeling and it subsides quickly enough. He sets his cup down, looking into Erik's eyes, trying to see if he can hazard what the man was feeling right now. ]

[Erik returns his gaze, though his brow creases slightly with confusion. It isn't hard to see past the veneer of placidness, for those who know where to look. Wanda's departure rubbed part of him raw, and the bracelet had cracked his composure. He's already shed his bewildered tears over it - put the emotion away hours ago when he was done. It's a reminder that his wounds still run through him, ready to be jostled at any given moment. There's nothing for it but to make do, as always. He knows how to calm himself down by now.

After a moment Erik's expression shifts into something less composed, but more open.]

What are you looking for, Charles?

[ Charles' expression softens as he reaches out to touch Erik's hand. ]

I just wanted to see you. I'm not looking for anything in particular.

[The touch relaxes him somewhat, and he huffs through his nose.]

I wanted to see you too.

[In every sense of the term.]

I can tell. You even brought tea to lure me in.

[ There are probably deeper feelings under the surface. But the fact that Erik let him see them, even briefly is enough. If Erik wants to talk, Charles can wait. ]

No, that was the scones.

[Much harder to come by in the Fleet, and freshly made. Doing things in the kitchen is one of his stand-bys for distraction, when he's sufficiently motivated to do it. Erik had also thought privately that Charles was likely to appreciate a distraction too.

He takes hold of Charles's fingers, brushing his thumb across his knuckles.]

[ He squeezes back. His own feelings were wound up in his need for logic. Charles is a teacher first and he was Wanda's teacher. Getting frustrated and hurt over her loss is a trenchant situation he can't fall into. Deep down, he knows he'll never be fully rid of the sting of people leaving, of watching people leave. ]

Well I appreciate them greatly.

I'd hope so.

c.

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