Chapter 27- A day out part2
Erik vaguely looked over the aisles searching for his companion as he placed his final selection of clothing on the counter to be cashed.
He didn't think he had been abandoned but he knew that the Englishman wasn't pleased at his behavior, judging from the way he had angrily hissed at him from the other side of the changing room door. As he sedately disrobed and began trying on the various garments he wished to buy, he hadn't responded to Charles' declaration that he was impossible and he was never taking him anywhere ever again.
'Did my friend leave a message for me?' he inquired politely as the owner began ringing up the purchases at the register.
The older man smiled courteously and pointed to the doorway. The professor was in deep conversation with an unfamiliar young woman in the mall corridor.
Just as Erik was wondering if to wave to Charles to tell him that he needed some money he spied the professor's credit card on the counter. He glanced at the store proprietor but the man was keeping his expression professional, obviously taking great pains not to speak out of turn again. Erik was in no way embarrassed to be seen with Charles or even to be mistakenly called his boyfriend, however the store keeper had regrettably taken him by surprise and he had lashed out instinctively to keep a stranger away from their personal space. He didn't really care what other people thought but he was curious as to what the professor was thinking as regards this incident.
Their behavior apparently indicated to the owner that they were more than just friends although Erik wasn't sure what they had done. Had he said something to suggest that they were a couple? Perhaps even now, Charles thought Erik was leading him on and toying with his heart, but was too confused or upset to voice his concerns out loud. WAS he leading Charles on? If he was, he was doing so unconsciously because that would be dishonorable and vile. They were, without a doubt, becoming quite close and sometimes their mutual physical attraction strayed out of the bounds of good sense but he was certain that they were now good friends. Good friends who had an unfortunate desire to kiss at every turn, though. He sighed deeply as he pocketed Charles' credit card. They would both have to work harder to control that particular "friendly" impulse.
'I apologise for my earlier rudeness,' he offered quite insincerely as the owner handed him his purchases in two large paper bags. Erik was covering his bases just in case Xavier interrogated him later. He had come to realise that lying to the professor was quite unlike lying to anyone else. Erik then slowly crept towards the entrance contemplating what to do next.
They had never discussed how they would proceed if they met any of Charles' friends in public. The only person he knew outside of the young man's staff was Dr. McCoy and Hank was already aware of his personal history. In a side ways crab like motion Erik began moving towards a nearby bench leaving it up to the professor to decide what he wanted to do. He couldn't be offended if the young man chose to ignore his presence for the while. He hardly expected someone of Xavier's social standing to go around introducing his friend from prison to all and sundry. He found the idea that the professor couldn't be proud of him to be strangely distressing and he sat miserably on the hard wooden bench staring down at the tiled floor.
However, before he even had a chance to swing his bags up to the space next to him, Erik sprang up in stunned bewilderment as the Englishman approached with his friend in tow. He was thankful now that he had decided to walk out the store in some of his new clothes and he nervously straightened his jacket in an unconscious attempt to look more presentable. As it was, he didn't even have to bend his head as the unusually tall woman leaned forward to kiss his cheek in warm greeting and shake his outstretched hand.
'Jean, this is Erik. Erik this is Mrs. Jean Summers,' the young man introduced them. The name tickled something in his memory but he couldn't quite remember where he had heard it before. He sought out the professor's face and their eyes collided for a moment and unexpectedly Erik could see a warning flare in their blue depths. 'Jean is Logan's friend.'
'I am your friend too,' she protested gently, turning around to smile down at him.
Charles smiled in return and wound an arm around her waist so that the three of them now stood in a loose circle.
'It is so very good to see you up and about Jean,' the small man remarked in a soft voice. 'We've all been worried about you.'
Erik had not missed the way Charles pitched his voice as if he was speaking to a sick child or perhaps to some wary animal that he didn't want to frighten away. He turned his attention to study the woman at his side. He could perceive that Jean was once a great beauty; tall and stately. She was still beautiful of course but there were lines of strain bracketing her mouth and eyes, and a smattering of grey streaked her spectacular red hair. Erik recalled that she was a widow but he had no idea how long she had been such. She was quite young, and it was indeed a tragedy that her married life had been cut short.
'I just need a little more time,' she hesitantly replied, her eyes downcast as if ashamed that she couldn't respond more positively to his comment.
All life and animation suddenly seemed to go out of her like a popped balloon and she stared off uncomfortably into the distance. Charles threw panicked eyes in his direction, begging for assistance to recover from his unintended verbal misstep in the conversation.
'You have an interest in photography,' Erik said automatically as he gestured gracefully at the camera looped around her neck. 'This is an excellent model you are using.'
Charles breathed quietly in relief as Jean excitedly began pointing out all the state of the art features in her camera and then settled into sharing with Erik some of the views she had taken of the mansion. The larger man's face broke out in one of his rare, genuine smiles as he admired her stills of Charles' rose garden.
The professor knew that the older man wasn't a sociable person but Erik had risen magnificently to an unexpected occasion with compassion and genuine sincerity. For once words failed him and he could only look on in fond admiration as the tall man patiently listened to her somewhat technical discourse on light manipulation. He couldn't for the life of him figure out why Erik doubted himself so much. There was so much to him than just pain and anger; there was also gentleness and humanity, hidden deep only because of lack of use.
Abruptly, Jean realized she had lost the attention of her new acquaintance and she looked up to Erik in order to apologise for her ramblings. The words died in her throat as the two men beside her had clearly stopped paying attention as they stared into each other's eyes.
Just seeing the look that burned between them, made her think wistfully of her beloved Scott. They too could communicate without words and with just a glance she knew that everyday of their marriage she had been treasured and loved. To her eyes, Erik almost seemed to glow as he happily basked in Charles' presence; secure in the knowledge that he was both appreciated and wanted.
If it had been at all possible to untangle herself from their arms and back away, she would have done so without hesitation. The red head coughed gently to spare them any embarrassment they might have felt having a witness to such an intimate exchange. Curiously, the professor seemed to have an easier time collecting himself than his friend who had actually taken two hurried steps away from their conversation huddle.
'Jean, would you be so kind as to take a picture of Erik?' Charles asked quietly, smiling serenely to himself even as his companion was scowling fiercely at an innocent potted plant by his side.
That request was enough to transport the older man back to the present reality with a painful thump.
'WHAT?' he squawked unhappily. Suspiciously, his eyes cut to the small man as he hooked his arm in his to bring him closer, 'Why do you want my photograph?'
'You need a head shot for your Facebook page. You can't keep leaving it blank.'
'I never wanted to register in the first place! You bullied me into that.'
'I bully?' the professor intoned delicately with an arch look, 'Erik, please stop being so melodramatic and stand still. Did you get that link I sent you for the local sports car association?'
'Yes thank you. But Charles…', he whined as the smaller man nudged him next to a brightly flowering plant assumedly to be used as a nice background, 'you have a chess piece as your photograph, why can't I just do something like that.'
'Because I am already too visible to the public as it is, whereas we want to achieve the opposite for you,' he explained patiently.
Jean smiled quietly as she adjusted her camera settings. The warmth and ease of their friendship (being demonstrated at the moment by loud bickering) washed over her like a healing balm, quieting her mind and drawing her back from the edge of sad memories and thoughts.
'That's what YOU want!' the larger man objected vigorously, 'my life is fine without your insistent meddling.'
'Erik dear, you only have Matt and me on your friends list. Hank said he sent you a friend request a few days ago.'
The older man muttered belligerently under his breath.
'You should add him. He is seeking to improve his chess game.'
That gave Erik a pause because he really did enjoy playing and did not always want to ask the professor, especially on days when he had a late class at the university.
Charles, deciding he didn't like the flowered background, pushed him towards a fountain. 'You are going to thank me for this when you meet all those new people at work tomorrow. This is how the young people communicate!'
'I am going to work, NOT to make friends,' the other man argued determinedly.
'You can do both!' the professor retorted, starting to lose his temper now in turn.
The two men turned towards Jean hoping for some support in their respective viewpoints.
Wisely she smiled sweetly and said nothing as she held up her camera, 'whenever you are ready.'
After a brief tug of war with the shopping bags, Charles stepped away with the items allowing the woman to move forward to adjust the angle of Erik's body and face for the best showing. She worked swiftly, feeling the wave of tension radiating off her new friend. Her photographers' instincts told her that any moment he might bolt.
For a moment their eyes connected and she smiled in commiseration of his discomfort. Erik smiled reluctantly in return, 'he can be a stubborn old goat when he REALLY puts his mind to it!'
She giggled quietly at his rude observation, smoothing and arranging his hair artistically over his forehead.
'Just so you know, the old goat can HEAR you!' the Englishman frowned darkly up at him.
'That was the general IDEA!' Erik yelled back cheerfully.
'Charles is too alone in the world.' she added in a low whisper, 'You are good for him.' The flash of surprise on his face was plain for anyone to see and as she stepped away, Jean wondered at it.
'Bloody hell!' the professor suddenly shouted, as he fell over to prevent being nailed in the head by a large green and yellow parrot that had come out of no where.
'What the fuck?' Erik responded more colorfully, dashing forward to help Charles to his feet.
By this time ,mall patrons and shop owners were pointing and taking photographs as the large bird gracefully flew around in the glass panelled atrium.
'Where did that come from?' Erik asked.
'Perhaps it is someone's pet' the professor suggested as he dusted himself off, 'It most certainly is not native to here.'
They craned their necks as another bird of similar coloring soared overhead to join the first.
'Did you hear that?' Jean asked incredulously trying to peer around the corner and for the second time that morning Charles was bowled over, this time by a litter of enthusiastic, long eared puppies.
Erik quickly reached down and scooped up the tiny grey kitten that had been fleeing for her life from her canine attackers. Absently, he popped the shaking animal into his inner jacket pocket as he concentrated over the cacophony of voices around them.
'Charles, stay here with Jean!' he ordered. Over excited yips and the murmurs of the crowd that had happily surged forward to help the professor with his naughty armful of tail wagging, panting puppies, Erik had clearly heard a faint cry of help.