Broken China pot
The first thing Erik noticed was the bed. It was uncomfortably soft. Even the one he had back in the house as a child wasn't this soft. He hasn't had soft in a long time. Also some cloth was wrapped around his head and body. It made his skin itch. The second thing was that It was deafening. Something very huge from the ground was singing to him. He thought it might be some kind of a tank or a warplane. He could tell the building was enormous. But it was nothing like anything he has ever encountered. He was also aware of the presence of a big unusual chair beside the bed. Ever since that day when he was awakened and taken to Herr Doktor's office, it was like this. He told them when they took him to the white room. Begged them to make it stop because it was driving him crazy and it was deafening but they laughed and ignored him. He could hear everything. Every single piece sang to him, every metal differently, humiliated him as he had no significant power over them. Even now all he could do was simple tasks unless he was under training, pain and anger , Herr Doktor always said was his key. But aside from that it was all small movements, small and useless.
' and yet they could have kept Mama alive , the movements weren't useless he was. He was...'
"I believe it's time you Open your eyes Erik" said a male voice from the direction of the chair. It sounded british and spoke English. Erik knew that language. Enough for him to make small conversation. He had a friend at school, the boy's Vati was an Engineer and they came for some project there from england, he thought Erik his language and Erik thought him his. All before the family fled the country right before war.
'Did Herr Doktor finally acted on his treats and sent him to enemies lab to be killed?'
He tried to keep himself very still. If they thought he was asleep perhaps they would let him be. Or perhaps if they thought he didn't understand them... The moment the thought came Erik knew it was too much of a wishful thinking. Those things never stopped anyone from...
" I am aware that you are awake Erik. But there is no reason to be afraid." Said the voice gently and sadly. It almost made him flinch. There was a sigh, Tired of putting up with him obviously.
' here it comes' Erik tried to brace himself for the impact of whatever would come next, the tension in his body made every muscle shake.
"I know you can understand me" came the voice even gentler if possible. A voice almost close to a small sob left Erik's mouth. He wasn't sure if it was because his escape was lost or because no one addressed him like that so kindly for a long time.
" Perhaps if you opened your eyes you'd see there is nothing to be afraid of." Came another gentle voice. A woman accent unusual for Erik but somehow both flatter and thicker at the same time from the man's. Perhaps it was whatever the child that was left in him, if there was any, that latched onto the maternal tone and he slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the direction of the voices. The woman reached out but he draw back almost falling from the other side. The other man who was sat in a chair gently put a hand on the woman's shoulder with a shake of the head.
" It's alright , just calm your mind" said the man and a calm warm feeling almost washed over his senses. It confused him and yet he could focus easier at the same time. Looking at the pair, Erik realized he was probably either dead or sleeping. In front of him was a man , middle aged and bald sitting in a wheelchair. And a black woman standing beside him. Where he came from these people would have been thrown out of the top of high buildings, and he had heard terrors of what happened to people of color in the States and all across the world. He was a kid, he wasn't stupid and Herr Doktor always kept talking to him about these so called cultures from other countries. But these people they looked like they were looked after, and the room , was almost the size of Erik's childhood home living room. He kept looking around hysterically as the pair watched him gently. He looked back, his mind was buzzing with questions yet he did not dare to voice them. He was ordered to open his eyes not to speak. He knew orders. He knew well. Something flashed in the woman's eyes , anger , momentarily but he saw and flinched. She looked like she wanted to say something but looked at the other man for little while and stopped. To others it might look they were having a conversation in silence. The man looked at him with something in his eyes Erik could not identify.
" If you have questions Erik, you can ask" said the man leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees.
"Where is this?" He finally managed to get out his words thick with accent.
"It's my home and my friends' and children's" he answered.
It didn't make sense to Erik this home looked too small to have as many people as the man said in it. But there were too many rooms like this in the huge building as far as he could feel. Maybe they just packed as many people as possible in the rooms just like...
The man had a amused look before he frowned. " This entire building is our home." He said as if knowing what Erik was thinking. "My name is Charles Xavier, this is Celine" he motioned his hands around,"this is a school , and it's ours" he said now smiling his eyes glinting with excitement. Not like what Erik's used to from lab technicians everytime they met him but something genuine. He was confused. Why was he here? How did he ended up here?
"I can answer your questions if you allow me" Herr Xavier asked him as if his opinion mattered. Erik knew he would be told regardless. He nodded anyway, already feeling wary of this kind act. At some point they would show their true face. It always started with sweet chocolate and ended with a bullet. " You're safe here Erik" said the woman. She sounded like she believed it. And Erik knew either she was a fool or presumed him as one. Because he knew no one was safe. The pair shared a look.
' you're among friends now' he heard in his head. This time he moved back so fast that he fell back on the floor curling on himself beside the wall. "You... I heard..." A shiver went through the entire room.
The man looked panicked as the woman came closer slowly like he was a kind of wounded animal. A wave of calm reached him. "It's okay Erik. there is nothing to be afraid of." She said getting down in one knee in front of him. " Erik you have a gift of your own, you can control metal and magnetism, me and Charles we are..."
Erik didn't hear more.
'They knew they knew what he could do. They knew what kind of monster he was. That was why he was here... That was why they had him. Were others here? Few people who got a liking in him in camps . Only friends he had left. He couldn't lose them too. Vati was gone and Mama was gone and Ruth, oh God, Ruth, he has just lost her . He has just....'
And it was all his fault. He killed them all. Something calm washed over his senses calming him down as a hand too cautiously took a hold of the back of his head. He couldn't remember when he started rocking back and forth, his head hurt as he slammed it to the wall not forceful to cause too much damage but enough to hurt. The hand gingerly pushed his head away from the wall. " Sh, shhhh, it's okay kid" came the woman's voice and despite his better judgment Erik tucked his head in her shoulder. He felt comfort wrapped over him like a blanket. He's breathing calmed a little.
" Do you want us to go? It's okay you can tell me" Celine said. He gave a shaky nod. She tried to catch his eyes and pointed at another door in the other side of the room. " There is a bathroom there. You see that closet?" She asked pointing at a wooden closet beside the bathroom door. Another shaky nod. Erik cast his eyes down again. "There are clothes in there and some books. You're free to roam around. " He felt her gaze. Erik felt much calmer and he suspected it had something to do with her. He was confused. The man, was in his head . Giving in to his curiosity he looked up to meet the others eyes. Something like reassurance touched his mind and he looked at the woman.
"How?" He asked . He wasn't sure why but he felt safe with them. The feeling almost strange and forgotten.
"Just like you Erik we have our own gifts." The man said again. "I hope you forgive me I should have explained before showing you what I could do. Shall we try again?" He sounded almost embarrassed. Erik nodded. This time thankful that he knew what he was actually getting himself into.
'i lose control too sometimes, i shouldn't be mad at him for that. ' he thought memories rushing to his mind of how the lab technicians would get mad at him for ruining their things right after they told him to let go.
'it's very thoughtful and kind of you to think that way.' came the man's voice in his mind. He tensed but didn't react. Now that he was ready he actually noticed it wasn't unpleasant at all. He also noticed two presence.
'smart lad' came a female voice and Erik jumped before giving a shy smile.
"You can stay here as long as you want Erik. " Said the man out loud. " We bring something for you to eat unless you want to join us downstairs. Meet the others"
Erik saw an image. Bunch of kids and youngsters sitting around a table eating , few things flying around and was one of them blue?
It looked like something from his dreams. A small chuckle came from his side and he realized his face must have given away his wonder." The choice is yours kid. Get some rest" said the woman and untangled herself from Erik. He felt himself blush with embarrassment realizing he was still hugging her. She didn't mock him though. Just patted his head and both of them left. Erik sagged against the wall and picked a pillow from the bed. He laid down on the carpet finding it more comfortable than the too soft bed with too many pillows. He really wanted to believe them. He wanted to know that he was safe. But he couldn't. Even if they were telling the truth and this was not just another kind of training from Herr Doktor, or if he wasn't just dreaming this or wasn't delusional with drugs , he knew the man would come and find him, or even worse these people would send him back the moment they understand gow dangerous Erik is. They would see he's nothing but a murderer who didn't deserve their kindness. He felt tears leaving his eyes. Erik wasn't sure how long it took him to fall back asleep. His last thought being if he would wake up back in his cell if he closed his eyes.
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Raven was sat behind the kitchen island nursing a cup of coffee. Peter on her side with Logan both busy with sandwiches, well logan was, Peter was just staring at plate. Moira stood near the window holding a cup of tea looking out. From what Charles picked up she was caught up alright with everything. Hank was in the lab working with Émilia and Forge on the antidote, it was where Celine left on their way down to go as well and the other x-men where apparently looking after the de aged kids. Raven was the first to notice him. " Hey how did it go?" She said instantly. The others turned to look at him as well.
" We'll get there in a minute." He said rubbing his temples. His eyes landed on the bottle of scotch on the shelve in the back.
' yeah he definitely could use some'
The thing is he barely had enough time to gather his thoughts. "Here" Moira join the rest and handed him a cup. His favorite lavender tea with a bit honey and giving him a peck on the lips.
"Thank you love.how are you doing?" He asked his face softening involuntary, feeling a bit more relaxed. She smiled back.
" All fine. Is it true ?is he...?"
"Yes I'm afraid so." He said sipping the tea.
" We felt the house tremble" Peter pointed out.
"Yes I'm afraid i might have had some inappropriate timing. " He thought about scaring the boy with his powers. " But thankfully we don't have to worry about speaking with him he knows enough English. "Charles started slow. " I think seeing me and Celine helped calm him down. "
It was Raven's idea and he was thankful. Seeing a woman of color and a man in a wheelchair was one of the reasons they managed to get through with Erik. " He still doesn't trust us which is understandable but we managed to tell him where he is and that everyone here is like him. For now it's all we could do." He shakes his head before sipping the tea. Raven and Moira nodded sadly. He wanted to do so much more, Charles wished he could take the kid took away all his pain and scars, all his fears and protect him , it killed him that he was powerless.
'yup definitely could use that bottle'
"You did more than enough chuck, where the kid's comin from, there ain't more you could do now." It was an unusual gesture for Logan to comfort people but Charles knew if there was one person here who understood it was Logan.
"Professor?" Said Peter hesitantly.
Charles knew what was about to come. It was like a neon sign over the boy's head ever since he saw the boy and growing stronger as he saw it's his father. Just like most of his friends Peter didn't know much about Erik's past. He had seen the numbers and that's all he knew. Erik never wanted to concern the kid with past. "Go on Peter" he said gently.
" What happened to him ?" He said quietly.
"I don't think it's my place to share it " Charles wanted so badly to get it off his chest. What he saw in adult Erik's mind was pure pain, but this child, all the scars on his soul were too fresh and raw it was sallowing Charles whole. But he didn't want to improvise.
" Well you all clearly know something" Peter said suddenly seriously.
"Peter..."
"His my father" the boy's voice harden. And Charles saw it .
' I'd find them and kill them' the thought he would pass as something momentary coming from anger but the force behind it made Charles believe he meant it. The he didn't know how to feel about the resemblance.
'He needs this' came an uncharacteristic mental nudge from Raven.
"I can't give you details" Charles started and Peter became all ears nodding." When your father was taken to the camp with his family, a man found out about his mutation, another mutant" his mouth already felt bitter as he remembered what it felt like to be in Shaw's head, all the darkness," he killed your dad's family in front of him and , did unspeakable things to him, experimented on him" his hands clenched into a fist. He could feel Logan's eyes hardening.
'was just a fuckin kid' he he picked from the surface thoughts as the man bite a bit too harshly on his sandwich.
" When we first met your father he was hunting him" he felt Moira tensing beside him.
" Did he succeed?" Asked the boy frowning.
"He did" said Charles bitterly.
"Good" Peter said coldly and darkly before the shadow left her features. And Charles to his distaste realized he meant it whole-heartedly . Peter stood up " I should go help the others." He added and left. Walking out instead of running. Charles could see he wasn't the only one caught off guard by the show off harshness from the always light-hearted speedster.
"Don't worry Chuck, the kid's having it rough. Besides it was about time those genes activated. " Logan pointed nonchalantly.
"Logan" he warned.
"What professor Freud means," Raven stopped him, " is that Peter's just a bit frustrated Charles, like the rest of us and not everyone " she stood up and brought glasses and the bottle Charles was eyeing the whole time," can't drink their problems away. He'll be fine" she filled their glasses and downed her drink in one go.
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" Please tell me you found something?" Celine walked in the lab to find three mutants already moving around and working with different chemicals.
" Sure , do you want the sun and the moon as well, i have them in my pocket" Emilia said sarcastically not looking up from the sample on her microscope standing beside beast. He was adjusting another batch. Celine didn't even dignify that with an answer , instead just walked beside the other man and slammed a chair behind a desk before sitting on it. Emilia looked up to that. They all did. She started to look at all the notes not looking back at them. "That bad?" Emilia asked gently.
"So we're picking up from where we left off on development genes?" She said instead.
"Celine" Forge almost reached to touch her shoulder but stopped. She picked up her pen. "Let's get this over with as soon as we can"
"We will" to her suprise it was beast's firm voice. She looked up briefly eyes still red rimmed a little before nodding. They all went back to work.