I apologize that this is so late-I've been without a computer for the past 6 days, so I haven't had the chance to be on FanFiction. I'm working on responding to your wonderful reviews, but if I miss any of you, thank you so much! You all are awesome.
I'll still be updating on Friday, provided I have Internet.
The Perks of Being a Telepath
Chapter 23: In The Library
Erik found Charles in the library an hour later, sitting on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him. Raven was curled up by his side, her injured leg resting on the far end of the couch. She was still in her natural blue form, dressed in a blue robe that was entirely too large for her. Erik distantly recognized it as one of Charles'.
Charles, who had been immersed in a book, glanced up when he sensed Erik's presence in the doorway. He casually followed Erik's glance to Raven's still form. A faint smile played at his lips.
"She wanted me to read to her."
Erik raised an eyebrow, but otherwise said nothing. He didn't know what he should say, if he should say anything at all. What did you say to a man who had just told you his entire life story—and it was almost as bad as yours?
Charles sighed, obviously sensing Erik's thoughts.
"Nothing between us has changed, Erik."
"Everything has changed."
"How?"
"It just does."
Erik couldn't think of a better way to explain himself, but the idea that Charles, of all people, had been beaten, experimented on, and tortured was almost too much to bear.
Charles closed his book and moved his feet off the coffee table. Raven, while still deeply asleep, protested it with a soft grunt.
"It only changes things if you want them to."
Erik growled in response. Charles gave him a sharp look.
"I'm not having this discussion with you."
Erik refused to let how much Charles' sudden coldness caught him off guard.
It was his turn to sigh.
"I'm sorry."
It was a woefully inadequate response to all of the hell Charles had been put through when he was a teenager, but it was the only thing that he could get out without demanding to know why Charles didn't tell him sooner. Why he was telling Erik now of all times.
Charles, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind.
"It's all right, my friend."
It killed Erik to know that Charles actually meant it.
Deciding that a subject change would be in their best interest, Erik half-walked, half-stumbled into the library and unceremoniously sank into one of the arm chairs.
"What are you reading?
The book in Charles' hands was huge.
Charles glanced at it, as if the object in his hands was a surprise, like he didn't remember picking it up in the first place.
"The Three Musketeers. It's one of Raven's favorites."
Erik raised an eyebrow. Charles relented.
"And one of mine."
"I would have never taken you for an adventure kind of person."
Charles huffed a laugh.
"After all of the things we've seen and been through together, you still think I'm not a fan of adventure?"
The beginnings of a smile crossed Erik's face.
"No, not really."
It was too easy, falling back into their easy banter, discussing nothing while the entire world passed them by outside. Even with the obvious signs of recent suffering—the cast on Raven's leg, Charles' and Erik's arm, the bruises that were still dark and painful, and the way none of them were able to be alone for very long—they could still find their own little slice of peace.
Charles fiddled absently with a strand of Raven's hair, looking exhausted, despite the fact that it was barely nine o'clock in the morning.
"It's been a busy morning."
Erik didn't resent the intrusion—it wasn't as though he could get upset at Charles so soon after the man saved his life.
Charles smiled softly.
"I'm glad you see it that way."
Erik made a noise that was halfway between a growl and a sigh.
"Just because I'm getting used to you being a nosy, intrusive telepath, doesn't mean that gives you permission to do it all the time."
Charles shook his head with a faint chuckle.
"And I promise I don't do it all the time. Just most of the time."
Erik shook his head, too tired to argue with Charles.
"Whatever you say, Charles."
They sat in a companionable silence for a while, neither knowing exactly how long it lasted. Charles was the first to break it.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything sooner."
"You still haven't told me everything. Hank did."
Charles sighed heavily.
"I was going to tell you about Stryker's idiotic belief that taking telepathic inhibitors would keep me out of his mind when it became an issue."
"And you don't think when you were trying to get me out of the CIA base didn't make it an issue?"
"Quite frankly, no, I did not. We all got out of there alive."
"But you gave Stryker everything he needed to know about us."
"Did I?"
"He knows that you'll stop at nothing to save me and Raven."
"And somehow, I don't think that's a comfort to him."
"And he has probably figured out that I'll do the same."
"While I admire and appreciate how much it cost you to admit to that, I think that will make Stryker sleep even less at night, knowing that if he does try something, you'll be coming after him. He remembers quite vividly what you almost did to the Navy in Cuba. And what I did to Moira. And what we're still doing to them."
Erik flinched at the mention of Cuba and why he didn't succeed in blowing up the Naval ships that day. He managed to swallow his guilt, though.
"We need to find a way to take care of Stryker."
"I won't 'take care' of him if that means killing him."
"I promised you, Charles that I was done killing. I meant it."
"Did you?"
Erik scowled.
"Yes."
Charles sighed.
"Okay."
They sat in silence for a little while longer. Charles read a few more pages in his book before Erik once more changed the subject.
"You've been having hallucinations, then?"
Charles shot him a sideways glance, before closing The Three Musketeers.
"Yes."
Erik was a bit taken aback by the blunt honesty, but pushed it out of his mind.
"How long?"
"Didn't Hank tell you?"
"Somehow, I don't think Hank knows everything."
Charles lifted his lips in the barest beginnings of a smirk. It faded quickly.
"Since Cuba."
Erik closed his eyes, feeling a surge of guilt.
"Don't blame yourself, Erik."
"How can I not?"
"Sometimes you think too highly of yourself and the influence you have on others. That wasn't exactly the first time I had hallucinations, you know."
Erik opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow at Charles in surprise.
"Really?"
"I had them not long after… when I was first developing my powers."
"What were…"
Erik trailed off, suddenly finding this entire conversation entirely awkward. He had never been one to pry into the lives of others—he hated it when people, especially Charles, did it to him.
Charles sighed heavily for what seemed like the tenth time that morning.
"It doesn't matter. The hallucinations—like last time—are already starting to go away."
The lie gleamed in Charles' eyes, but Erik decided not to push it.
For now.
They sat in silence again, before Charles let out a grunt of pain as he attempted to move. Erik looked at him in alarm.
"What's wrong?"
Charles shook his head, refusing to meet Erik's eye.
"It's nothing. Just a back spasm. Perfectly normal."
Erik doubted it. Nothing about either of them was perfectly normal.
Erik had the presence of mind to balance and stop the truck before it completely flipped over or hit the trees, but he could do absolutely nothing about the bullet in the tire, nor could he do anything about the battalion of armed men directly behind them.
"Stay in the truck and don't move until I tell you to."
It was Raven who recovered from the near truck accident first. Her voice, while slightly shaky, was firm, and her yellow eyes sparkled dangerously.
She had a plan.
She made for the truck door.
"Wait!"
Hank obviously wasn't keen on letting her go anywhere alone.
Raven paused long enough to send him a look.
"I know what I'm doing. Stay here and look after the Professor."
Her words were followed by an effortless transformation into Stryker.
Erik resisted the urge to smile, an action tempered only by one thing.
He still couldn't find a pulse in Charles' wrist.