wecanavenge | ✘ | 017

[All backdated to just after the flood!]

[Private to Pietro]

I know you're here, and I'm certain you're aware I am. [A beat. He's trying, but trying is hard especially when he has no idea how to broach this. It hasn't gone spectacularly with Anya or Wanda in the past.]

It's not a very big ship. And I'm obviously not the man you know. We could continue to avoid each other, if that's what you'd like. [He cracks a dry half-smile.] But I've found it's better not to assume anything, here.

[Private to Wanda]

[He took a while before turning the feed on for this, so he's perfectly composed. She doesn't need to see or deal with his issues; he wants to say this, and let it lie.]

I'm sorry. I haven't done a very good job of being easy to tolerate. You deserve better.

[Private to Alex]

I still don't expect your trust anytime soon.

[Private to Ivy]

[There is far too much kid drama here, so it's clearly time for something much less family oriented.]

'Generally regarded as sex on legs.' [Your warden, Ivy, he's very amusing to troll.]

[Private to Charles]

[Jesus Christ buddy we have got some stuff to talk about.] I spoke to Anya during the flood.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Thrown. [So very, very thrown, and this was a new thing he'd have to come to terms with and accept. But for all that it could have left things irreparable between them, it hadn't. And Erik knows he's lucky, that most people would never know a friendship this deep. Twice in one day, Erik had harmed Charles, and here they were, talking regularly, playing chess, writing a god damned book together.

So he smiled - a little wryly, maybe, but still a smile, and nodded.]

I'll be fine. [He reached out, clapping Charles gently on the shoulder.] I'll leave you to your soup.

[Three times, really, and the worst they hadn't even really talked about. Charles would always have forgiven Erik for hurting him accidentally, but he chose to leave, and that still stung when he allowed himself to think about it.

And maybe it was that memory that made him speak up instead of just nodding and thanking him again, and apologizing for slipping up that badly.]

Stay? Just for a while, I'm probably going to try sleeping again once I've finished with this. [And almost as if on cue, he needed to cough again and made sure to do it into his elbow, because no offense, but you seem like you'd be a really difficult person to take care of when you're sick and so Charles is definitely not looking to get you infected, too.] I promise there aren't any more bombshells to drop.

[Which wasn't explicitly true, but he would be better about making sure not to project things he didn't want Erik to hear.]

[Oh like you're not a baby when sick, who isn't. But the request gives him pause, and he settles back in the chair with a nod.]

Good. But so help me, if you get me sick we will be having another argument.

[He totally is, but you seem more like the I'M FINE I PROMISE IF YOU COME NEAR ME WITH THAT THERMOMETER I'LL CUT YOU!!!!! kind of baby when you're sick. Charles is just lazy and doesn't want to be left alone. B(]

I'll do my best. That seems like an unnecessarily exhausting argument.

[It takes another spoonful or two of soup for him to look up again and smile, almost a little embarrassed. It wasn't like Raven had just entirely left him to his own devices when he got sick, but no one really loved hanging out with sick people, and so it was just sort of unusual, to have someone here.] Thank you, Erik.

[For being here, for staying, for looking out for him instead of just walking away, all of that. Words are hard. B(]

[Words are stupid and unnecessary. B( Erik just nods, and smiles instead. He doesn't feel he needs to say you're welcome, or of course, because both are already thought, implied, felt. He'll stay now (because he didn't stay then), and won't think to complain. He does get up briefly to head for Charles' desk, sorting through and grabbing one of the research books they've been using, before heading back to the chair to settle in.]

✘ | 017 | VIDEO

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