First Encounter
1960, London.
In a modest, hole-in-the-wall bar, Erik Lehnsherr had recently begun working as a bartender. The establishment was managed by Logan Howlett, and an unspoken understanding existed between them: they were both mutants, sharing a bond that went beyond mere acquaintance.
One afternoon, the bar was unusually lively. A group of rowdy patrons had taken over a corner table, their laughter and shouts reverberating through the room. Among them was a man whose laughter caught Erik’s attention—a melodic yet irritating sound that set Erik’s nerves on edge. His irritation was palpable as he watched the man, Charles Xavier, with narrowed eyes and a sharp exhale.
Charles, with a flushed, freckled face and a grin too wide to be genuine, approached the bar. His drunken state was evident, and he extended his hand with a flourish. “Charles Xavier,” he announced, the gleam in his eyes betraying his inebriation. Erik, unimpressed, gave a curt nod as he prepared another drink for the man. Their brief exchange was charged with an unspoken tension before Charles rejoined his group.
As Erik resumed his duties, he caught the end of a violent altercation. A large man, seemingly agitated, struck Charles with a forceful blow, sending him crashing to the floor. Erik’s growl of frustration was drowned out by Logan’s angry outburst. Logan stormed out from behind the bar, his voice ringing with obscenities as he forcefully ejected the assailant.
Logan’s intervention was swift, but the damage was done. Charles, still dazed, struggled to get up. Logan, arms crossed in a gesture of finality, waved him off, signaling that his night at the bar was over. Charles, though visibly bruised, attempted to protest, but Logan’s stern expression left no room for argument.
In the days that followed, Charles continued to frequent the bar, albeit less frequently and with a more subdued demeanor. His presence was marked by a subdued tension. Erik observed him closely, noting the undercurrent of something more serious than mere drunkenness. Charles’s sporadic visits seemed to carry a hidden agenda, though Erik couldn’t quite decipher it.